Roma fined by UEFA after clashes in Manchester and alarm over next Champions League match: here’s what’s at stake
The precedent in Nice, where last year clashes led to the arrest of 102 Roma fans, is a cause for concern ahead of the trip to Paris: if the alert is raised, the closure of the away section cannot be ruled out.
After the 3-2 comeback defeat by Carrick's now former team, the trip to Manchester also brought the price for Roma off the pitch. Just over a week after the incidents involving several Giallorossi fans before and after the match against United, which led to the arrest of three people and several complaints for intimidating behavior by the English police, UEFA has decided to punish Roma.
fine and more
A €20,000 fine has been imposed on the club, along with a second sanction that could impact upcoming European away matches. The Disciplinary Committee has ordered a partial restriction on the sale of tickets for away fans at away matches in UEFA competitions. Specifically, the quota reserved for visiting fans would be halved: from 5% to 2.5% of the capacity of the opposing stadium. UEFA has, however, suspended this second sanction for two years, starting from the date of the measure. Essentially, Roma will be able to rely on the normal availability of tickets for European away matches, unless further incidents occur during the suspension period.
Paris alarm
And a major test will come on November 25th. Roma, in fact, awaits the away match against PSG in Paris, where many alarm bells are ringing: from the twinning of French and Neapolitan fans to the precedent in Nice last year when—during riots—102 Roma ultras were stopped (13 arrested) and several improper weapons were seized, including iron bars, hammers, and knives.
This situation has led the French police to request and obtain a reduction in the number of tickets available for Roma fans, which will be 1,500 instead of 2,376. Furthermore, ultra chat rooms and forums will be monitored in the coming weeks. If the alarm were to rise, the closure of the away section with refunds for tickets already sold could be ruled out.